Brake beam safety device



June 4, 1935. G. BussE 2,003,499

BRAKE BEAMSAFETY DEVICE Filed Dec. 50, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 4, 1935.

E. G. BussE BRAKE BEAM SAFETY DEVICE Filed Dec. 50, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l VIII/Ill,

and are pivoted to the brake beam and to the Patented June 4, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application December 30, 1931, Serial No. 583,998 7 11 Claims.

This invention relates to railway rolling stock and consists in a novel safety guard for brake beams for use particularly in brake rigging wherethe brake levers are inclined from the vertical connecting rods in different vertical planes. In a familiar arrangement of brake rigging the bot tom connection is located above the beams and passes through the truck bolster which serves as a safety guard to prevent the rod from dropping to the track in case of loss of a lever pin.

If vertical brake levers were used in this type of rigging, the bolster would also serve as a safety guard for the beams, through the bottom connection, in case of failure of the brake hanger. However, due to the inclination of the levers at an angle of substantially forty degrees from the vertical and due to the necessary clearance between the rod and bolster and the play in the connections between rod, lever and beams, it has been found that the lever alone does not prevent the end of the beam from falling below the clearance limit in case of failure of a brake hanger.

Flexible links have been provided her'etofore which parallel the brake lever and extend between the connecting rod and the front of the beam at the center. Such a link serves to guide the beam in its movement towards and away from the wheels, holding it against tilting and maintaining the brake shoes parallel to the wheel treads, but does not safeguard the beams as has been suggested.

The main object of the present invention is to provide novel means for utilizing a brake rod for safeguarding adjacent brake beams as well .as properly balancing the same. This object is attained substantially by providing a link or bracket extending from a brake rod, which is spaced vertically and horizontally from the center of the beam, to a point on the beam located in substantially the same vertical plane as the rod.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section showing parts of a truck and brake rigging.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 22 of Figure-1, portions'of the side frame being broken away for clearer illustration '7 and the bolster being shown in broken lines.

Figure 3-;is a detail vertical transverse section taken substantially on the line 3--3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail section corresponding to Figure 1 and showing a modified form of safety guard.

Figure 5 is an end view of the safety guard. I

Figure 6 is a view corresponding with Figure 5 but showing another modification of the guard. I

' Figure '2' is a side view of still another form of safety guard.

Figure 8 is an end view of the guard shown in Figure '7. V

Figure 9 is a vertical transverse section through a spring plank type of truck and showing the safety guard applied to brake rigging of a different type.

Figure 10 is a detail vertical section taken on line lQ--i@ of Figure 9.

In Figures 1', 2 and 3. brake rigging is illustrated comprising truss-type brake beams including compression members I, tensionmembers struts 3, and brake levers 4 and 5 pivoted at their lower ends to the struts. Lever 4 is anchored to 'a bracket 5 projecting from bolster 5. A brake lever connection I has jaws 8 at 20 each end pinned .to the intermediate portions of levers 4 and 5 and passes through openings 9 in the bolster. Levers 4 and 5 are disposed at an angle of substantially forty degrees to the vertical, as indicated in Figure 2. p 25 Aguard member ID has lips [0a and I00 at the top slidably engaging rod 1 and has a bracket lob at the bottom engaging a point on compression member I of the left hand beam (Figure 1) at a point located vertically below the rod. Mer nher In serves to prevent the brake heads II from dropping to the track in case of damage to or disconnection of one of the hangers I2, and also serves to support the rear end of the beam and to guide the same in its movement towards and away from the wheels. 7

At l3. in Figure 1 is shown a guide member which has" seat forming bosses 14 on the upper surface engaging the lower surface of rod 1. The link does not loop over the rod 1 and accordingly serves only to hold down the back of the brake beam and to guide the same in its movement towards the wheels.- Member l3, as well as the 'membe'rxlil previously described, is preferably, but not necessarily, made of flexible material.

In Figures 4 and 5, guard member I5 has a pair of loops i6 passing over the rod Hand portions l8 extending beneath and engaging points on the compression member l9 located substan 7 tially vertically beneath rod H. The member. I5 issecured in place on therbeam compression member i9 by "crimp'e'd portions 20. V

In Figure 6 the guard member 2! is similar to that shown in Figures 4 and 5 but includes intermediate portions 22 which are bent together whereby the bracket completely encircles brake compression member of beam 40 at a point 10- lever connection 23. Bracket 2| thus serves to limit vertical movement of the compression member 24. Obviously, the extent of this movement depends upon the size of the loop surrounding the rod and the member may be shaped to slidably or pivotally engage the rod, if desired.

In Figures 7 and 8, another form of safety guard 25 includes a curved upper portion 26 pinned between the jaws 21 of rod 28 in front of lever 29. The guard extends vertically downwardly from portion 26 and has an arm 30 which underlies both the compression and tension members of the beam 3| and 32. Arm 30 parallels the beam and is located substantially vertically beneath the rod 28.

The particular type ofbrake rigging heretofore illustrated is not essential to the broadest phase of the present invention and the novel vertical safety guard might be advantageously used with other types of trucks and rigging as shown, for instance, in Figures 9 and 10 where the brake beam strut or fulcrum arm 33 engages the brake lever 34 at the middle instead of at the bottom. In this case any of the forms of the safety guard might be associated with, an adjacent overhead rod 35 or bottom lever connection 31, but I have illustrated flexible members 36 and 38 similar to member It] in Figures 1 to 3. Member 36 depends from rod 35 which passes over the bolster (not shown) and engages the cated vertically below the rod. Member 38 depends vertically from the beam and is supported on rod 31 passing beneath the bolster. In the former case, the bolster would safeguard the overhead connection and in the latter case, an

additional element 39 would preferably be provided for safeguarding the bottom rod from the spring plank 4! or other truck part. It will be understood that only one of the members 36 and :'38 is necessary to safeguard the beam and preferably only one of the members will be used in practice, instead of both, as shown.

These and other details of the invention might be varied without departing from the spirit there- 7. of and the exclusive use of all such modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination in railway brake rigging, a

:brake lever, a brake beam and a brake lever connection pivoted to an end and the middle portion, respectively, of said lever, and a brake beam guard, guide or support member operatively associated with said connection and a part of said beam spaced substantially vertically from said connection.

2. In combination in railway brake rigging, a-

below said rod.

'3. In combination in railway brake rigging, a brake lever, a brake beam and a brake lever connection pivoted to an end and the middle portion. respectively, of said lever, and a brake beam safety guard including aportion secured to a part of said beam spaced substantially vertically from said connection and a portion adjacent said connection but normally spaced therefrom and arranged to engage said connection when said beam is dropped.

4. In combination in railway brake rigging, a

truss-type brake beam including a central pivot for a brake lever, a brake rod displaced vertically and horizontally from said pivot, and a brake beam safety guard including a portion secured to said rod and other portions underlying points on both the tension and compression members of said beam spaced substantially vertically from said rod. 5. In combination in railway brake rigging, a brake lever, a brake rod and a brake beam pivoted to the middle and end portions, respectively, of said lever, and a brake beam safety guard including a part secured to the outer end of said rod in front of said lever and another part underlying a portion of said beam located substantially vertically beneath said rod.

6. In combination in railway brake rigging, a brake lever disposed at an angle to the vertical, a brake rod and a truss-type brake beam pivoted to the middle and end portions, respectively, of said lever, and a brake beam guard, guide or support including a portion secured to the outer end of said rod in front of said lever and another portion underlying points on the front and back portions of the beam located substantially vertically beneath said rod.

7. In combination in railway brake rigging, a brake lever, brake beam and brake rod members pivoted to longitudinally spaced points on said lever, and a brake beam safety guard secured to one of said members and having a part adjacent to but spaced from the other of said members, said part being adapted to engage said secondmentioned member only in case of lowering of a beam hanging.

8. Incombination in railway brake rigging, a brake lever, a brake beam and a brake rod pivoted to longitudinally spaced points on said lever, and a brake beam safety guard secured to said beam and having a part passing over said rod but spaced therefrom.

9. In combination in railway brake rigging, a brake lever, a truss-type brake beam connected thereto, a brake rod extending above the level of said beam, and a brake beam safety guard comprising an inverted T-shaped element with its leg depending from said rod between the compression and tension members of said beam and with its cross beam underlying said members.

10. In combination in railway brake rigging, a brake lever, a brake beam member and a brake rod member pivoted to end and intermediate portions, respectively, of said lever, and a guard, guide or support device for said beam including substantially vertically alined parts one of which is secured to one of said members and the other of which is operatively associated with the other of said members.

11. In combination in railway brake rigging, a brake lever, a brake beam and a brake rod connected to said lever, and a brake beam safety guard member operatively associated with said rod and with a point on the rear part of said beam substantially in vertical alinementwith said rod.

EDWIN G. BUSSE. 

